December 9th, 2018 - Physical Wisdom
Series rear end out of a Proverbs series talking about our eyes and our hands and our feet are ears in our mouths and how this metaphorically connects in in scripture. And I think it's kind of interesting for those of you who've been here. If you found it interesting so kind of go through and see how this ties through it's it's kind of fascinating how that happens that our eyes and a lead to the things that we desire in our hands reveal what we do with our hands reveal what we desire. Will there be to help others are the hurt others are to do nothing draw back in and hold in our our feet is what leads us to those things that we desire and that is a picture that's painted all throughout scripture, especially in the old testimony get into a lot of this poetry in the sections, you'll see what people will do with her hands and where they go with your feet and what they take in with their eyes, you see these patterns begin to repeat and it's kind of interesting and our topic today, which is years. Their hearing is one that you kind of is if you're a student of scripture you been around it and you sort of know it but you don't think about it much and it wasn't until I started to go through this that I did the search for ears hear. You know, I just kind of anything Liston within that range and landed on like 7,000 hits. No me tell you I didn't go through every one of them. I just kind of looked at that that's a lot to go through but as it turns out it's really kind of an interesting study. And it wasn't until the last few days as I began to kind of think about it and go back and review and look at it a little bit more than its width. Hit me the power. Of what it is that you here, especially when it comes to what you hear about yourself. And if you kind of think about it a little bit right if you if you sort of put this together. For many people who kind of struggle and Russell things in life. They've they've either been treated somewhere. In other words. They've they've ended up at the hands of someone who perhaps mistreated them or abuse them. And then you've got also some folks who really struggle with their identity and and really kind of try to figure out there value in life based upon what they've been told especially when they've been growing up nephews kind of stop and think about that for a bit. You know why I've got three kids and I could probably experiment on some of them, you know, maybe take a little swim to start telling her that you know, well, you're not as smart as the other two and if you continuously do that all the way through while they're growing up you will have created this image this this thought about themselves that may not be true. And so is it turns out what we hear has a tremendous impact on how we see ourselves how we see with our eyes where we fit into the world. It's like hearing and seeing sort of come together in the Sloop and we know today in our culture as we look back on on things that if people have gone through some abuse or they've gone through these different traumatic event. We know that the percentage of the chance of them repeating that on their own children and their own families is very high and so is it turns out what we taken through our ears? how to formulate how we see the world it also affects where we go and how we use our hands on others and so as it would kind of turnout Hearing and what you hear and how you take that for yourself? It's kind of a critical critical thing. And I think that's why it shows up all through scripture. It also might be one of the most frustrating things that have to deal with. And you know what I'm talking about. You often times don't want to hear. When you've messed up. You ever been in that spot where you're working and you screwed up. And you get the email or the phone call? Hey we need to talk or was that mean that means you're going to listen? And you want to avoid that right you ever had the kids are in the kid and you're like, hey come here. Let me talk to you for a minute.
It's hard to want to do that. And so I think it's a really simple question that we're just going to come it repeats round here, which is have you heard. And I think we're going to find that it really ties in perhaps in some ways that they may be we didn't know before really kind of put together before I'm not going to go through the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom. We've got several three different weeks of that. You can go back and listen to that online if you want. But again just the whole point of that is you want to listen and pay attention use your eyes your hands and your feet in a way so that you don't become an adversary to God's plan. You don't want to step in the way of what he is but he's doing because trust me he will move you and I out of the way to accomplish this plant. Okay, that's that's just kind of the way it works with with family and the verse of we're going to look at we looked at last week. We're going to be kind of back in Genesis and pick out a couple things and we're going to head on something that might be a little controversial. So bear with me on that one. It should be good times, but I don't think there's actually any controversy around it whatsoever when we look at the store to go all the way back to Genesis and we're going to look for these words. Stop what they've heard OK and how the sort of impacts and how it turns out in the end over here. So let's take a look at it right here Genesis chapter 3 and they that's Adam and Eve, right? This is post consumption of the fruit of the tree. So they've eaten they know they shouldn't have they've been deceived and hear God comes into the guard. We had this last week we talked about it. Just imagine what that would be like that you're there you've realized that you've disobeyed you you've rebelled and here comes God walking through the garden and you hear the sound of the Lord Walking In The Garden in the cool of the day. It's a pretty the beautiful image. He's there to walk with his creation. He's there to walk with this man and this woman with human and with wife And they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the Trees of the garden, but the Lord called out to the man and said to him, where are you? And so they hear him it felt like that thing. Hey, come here. Let's talk. I don't want it right they hear it. What do you do?
And the man says I heard the sound of you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I had myself God said who told you that you were naked. Have you eaten from the tree, which I've commanded you not to eat the human said the woman whom you gave to be with me. She made me eat it.
What you made for dinner Lord? I cannot eat it. And I mean are you in trouble? You know, that's like I got them. Are you going to want to do that?
I mean come on the blame game. That's just all falls right on Adam For Crying Out Loud. She gave it to me. Now. Look there's a lot of these extorted make fun of that a bit, but there's a lot at stake in this moment. You really pause and think about the decision that sitting before this human. Which is do I obey God knowing. Did this creation this other human? He's put with me. She goes away. Or do I choose to remain with her and enter into that Rebellion? Knowing that that's going to break this relationship with God. This is a no-win decision. And it's easy to make light of it, but the fact is you and I put in this spot. We have no idea. We have no idea how we would have responded. But we know how Adam did here then the Lord God said to the woman. What is this that you've done in? The woman said the serpent deceived me we've talked about this is not a member of the animal kingdom that speaking. This is a divine creature. It's in the garden member having an earther join is it just got in heaven know we know there's many other that's heavenly host that exists when one of them has rebelled and has come down and through their word eve has heard this deception. She's heard it. And it's changed her vision and the action that she takes with her hands in with her feet. She heard and she was afraid he heard and he was afraid she listened to this divine creature instead of what God has instructed them to do. Did you catch that? They have listened to Creation instead of the Creator and that is a pattern that is going to repeat all through scripture over and over and over again.
And so God's going to explain the results of these decisions. There's going to be some impact to this is going to be some fall out so to speak. The Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this cursed. Are you above all livestock and above all Beasts of the field on your belly? You shall go and dust you shall eat all the days of your life now. I just want to point something out. Anyone who kind of questions they are you sure it wasn't a member of the animal kingdom speaking. Let's think about this for a minute. This is a curse being applied, right? Can you tell me do snakes crawl on their belly on the earth in the dust already? Yes. It wouldn't have been a curse then in that particular regard. However, if you are a member of the Divine Realm. And in the worldview of an ancient Israelite, you know, you've got this kind of this sort of three-layer view of creation, right? You got the Dome that sits over the Earth. That's the heavens. You got the Earth itself and you got the space under the Earth and his Divine creatures live in this sort of Dome then when they look up and they see the stars. They see that and go okay. There's Divine creatures. And so the curse is it turns out is this character is getting cast out of Heaven down to earth now. That's the picture that's being set up. That's the change. And keep that eating dust all of your life in mind. It's going to show up here again kind of interesting. I will put enmity or that's tension or or you know, kind of that dislike distrust between you and the woman and between your Offspring and her Offspring strain. The snake is going to have some kind of Offspring and it talks about Eve having it as well and her Offspring is going to bruise your head. He's going to be a snake pressure. But when his foot comes down to kill you you're going to get a bite in on his ankle.
And as it turns out this is imagery setting up for something to happen long long time later. And that's when Jesus comes who crushes the head of the serpent, but through his crucifixion the serpent get the bite. This picture was set up all list this time in the past. That's why if you ever read Matthew and Luke, can you see these genealogies? They go all the way back to who the Adam to this The Offspring of the woman right here and there's a lot I want to get into here, but we'll save it for another day. It's just suffice it to say this Divine creatures being judged is ranked as lowered. He's going to eat dust all the days of his life. He's been cast out of Heaven Down to Earth At this point in time. Let's look at the woman. There will be no controversy here. To the woman. He said I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing then pain. Should you shall bring forth children your desire shall be contrary to your husband and he shall rule over you anyone feeling uncomfortable.
with that most particular translation. I'm not a fan of that word contrary I think is a I think it's a poor rendering of the word. It really means that your desire shall be towards the word literally means towards Your husband what it means it means that in and I want you to follow something right here. It's kind of fascinating if you really stop and think about it. What is God handing down? Okay, it's not your question. What's he handing down?
Judgment is the c word? Curses. Okay. These are things that didn't exist until this moment. That's the picture. All right. this verse Is preparing for a change in the organizational structure prior to this who were Adam and Eve responsible to answer to? God individually write notice he comes to Eve and he has an interaction with her directly and he comes to Adam and what is that I'm doing is like that I followed her. Okay prior to this they were both individually responsible to the Creator. But God knows that this this relationship is going to get broken. It's not going to be able to exist in the way that they did before between God and humans. We know that. And somewhat God In This Moment is doing it is basically saying I've got to Institute sort of a new charcoal structure across the planet. So Eve instead of you being individually responsible to me. I'm going to make the husband responsible for you. I want to eventually take the serpent and guess what we're going to see in the next verse the Serpent's going to actually become almost there God. This is the person that's really just a result. It's handed down email look at and go pain in childbirth. Does that mean that freefall, you know you do they just babies just magically slipped out without anything. I don't see how that happens quite honestly physically we're talking about humans. I can't imagine I don't only epidurals I think make it as comfortable as possible. And the next step is you're just out right you're just out entirely you wake up. There's a baby magically happened. Hopefully three or four months later and you're fully healed up. We don't get any indication that that's the case. I think it's talking about something completely different.
Because if you think about this promise that's coming about this Offspring that's going to crush the serpent. That will come generation after generation after generation in Mom's. Can I ask you a question does the pain of raising children end after birth?
I'm going to take from the giggle. It doesn't. Why because now your birthing humans that have no relationship to their creator? In all of the aspects of you having to raise them and train them and bring them up rest with the parents. It's a painful tough hard process.
The increase member it's the increase in your pain. in raising children doesn't say there wasn't any before it's the increase in it because now You got to do what you can to care for this little one all the way up until they're really big ones and even when they're really big they can't sometimes figure out how to not create pain in your life. a man I got a big one from Mom. There you go.
It's some kind of a metaphorical picture that's being painted. And that word he shall rule over you was the one we got to wrestle with but you just need to understand that prior to this and what God called. Very good. The man did not rule over the woman.
And if you followed this for quite some time, you'll know that God has had a plan a tourist or eaten any never deviates from that. And for the nerds in the room, I think this is why Paul can right. There is neither male nor female Jew nor Greek slave nor free, but all are one in Christ Jesus. It's a restoration were each one individually as a responsibility to their Heavenly Father. and so when we get into those conversations about what you got to listen to him pay attention to her husband guys if you're in a Christian marriage, It doesn't work that way. It it doesn't if your wife is a Believer. She's answerable to God first. That's because you and I are idiots. We don't always going to know what's going on there. Yeah, usually I work you like that one. Adam he said because you have theirs are word. Listen, your ears are worried because you have listened to the voice of your wife and of eating of the tree of which I commanded to you. You shall not eat of it. He listen to her not to God then cursed is the ground because of you in pain. You shall eat of it all the days of your life thorns and thistles it shall bring forth man. Do I know about that? Not anymore. We took it all out and put glass in no more thorns and thistles in my yard. I have a Heavenly Eden in my backyard now no more. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground for out of it you were taken for you are here's our word dust and to dust you shall return. Let me just just look at the Poetry. That's kind of included here. What's the snake the snake will eat dust all the days of his life. Where does Adam return to Dust the snake will eat death all the days of its life. And since Adam you're going to return to dust guess what the snake is still going to exist and live on the earth eating. That's all the days of his life. So in essence of snake has become the one who rules you.
see that an interesting poetic picture of pulling all of this together and Eve is stuck right in the middle of it. Just up there. This is that picture all because Adam wouldn't listen. What about a little video for you and it's going to transition us into this word listening because this pattern as it turns out repeats I could see if you're interested in good kind of just go through Genesis and you'll see it show up over and over it starts with Abraham and Sarah when he listens to Sarah by to take his Egyptian slave and make a baby with her and God comes and says that was a bad idea. You shouldn't have listened to her this pattern repeats over and over and over but when we get to the time of Moses, there's going to be something introduced. That people are to pray twice a day. And it starts with the word listen. It's let's run this video for you and you can kind of get a sense of what it is we're talking about.
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The Lord Is Our God the Lord is one that's where you you shall love the Lord your God with all
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Why don't you want to stay? I will listen.
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Alright, so, what's the word? Shema say it again. to hear and obey to hear and to follow You see how that now when you begin to see this word show up all through scripture. It's like oh, oh, oh, man. There's a lot to it. And when we jump over into Proverbs, it becomes going to Beggs a little bit of a question because it opens a lot of things up. Let's just look at a couple we're going to try to get through these very quickly, okay. and now for children Shema Listen to wisdom. Blessed are those who keep my ways? Do you see how the word takes on a completely different connotation and now our children Shema wisdom Listen and Obey? it's the problem that every that repeats over and over and over all through scripture is that we tend in the direction of not listening and not obeying and it's only the only times that really stand out are when people all through scripture actually listen and follow it becomes this pattern that just stands out in always Listen to this wisdom and Obey it blessed. Are those who keep my way and he goes on Shema instruction and be wise do not neglect. It's not just letting the sound waves come in the ear. But it's learning how to hear that instruction and begin to walk it out with her feet. See the world in the way that God would want us to see the world and begin to use our hands in a way that God want us to use our hands. Do you see how this begins to sort of come together in order to really truly Faithfully follow you first have to hear it and believe it. Trusted and take your steps and walk forward in it. And it shows up again in this proverb in chapter 8. The last is the one who Shema watching daily at my Gates waiting beside my doors in the image. Here's a really interesting one. It's it's the image of someone who is at the temple or at the Tabernacle and literally weights at it either the Gate of the city or at the door of the Tabernacle and they are intently listening waiting to hear the word. That would be spoken. And that's where wisdom would say bring yourself to the gate bring yourself to the court to the door and intently listen with the desire to then follow through with what it is that you here. It's quite the picture and is it would turn out later? We won't explore this too much here. But again will drop a few little bible nerd nuggets into the mix right as it would turn out later. You'll be the writer of Hebrews who would come along and say you should go with all confidence Before the Throne of your God in heaven making your quest to be known with the intimation Bean then you can listen at the very throne in the foot of your heavenly father when you're in prayer. Did you ever stop to think? How often we bring prayer to God, but do you make time? listen Do you make time to be quiet and wait at that door at that foot? Wherever maybe to hear what it is that would be spoken back, you know as it turns out. The creator has a lot to say.
And I think we forget to make time in our day in and our prayers to listen. I think to some degree one because it's hard to believe that there would be any voice that would come back but too kind of scary. Because you kind of get this thing like hey, you know what you ought to do if there's something I'd like you to do. What are you do with that? Now you're kind of on the hook. You can't see didn't hear.
Blessed is the one who is Shemar watching daily at my Gates waiting beside my doors these doors of wisdom these doors of the Creator forever Finds Me finds life and obtains favor from Yahweh. But he who fails to find me injures himself all who hate me love death. What a juxtaposition isnit. That you have here. That we seek out the Lord so much and when we find him we obtain favor from Yahweh we do that through Christ, but we don't make the time to truly find him to listen. I mean imagine.
It's just this weird perspective that we have. We have so many questions. and I think I think God has a lot of questions to It's just we don't want to really listen to him cuz we don't have good answers.
Oh now my children Shema wisdom blessed. Are those who keep my ways Shema instruction and be wise and do not neglect it my ways who's ways well, If we go to the human who taught us some ways who claimed himself to be the way. We might see some verses and see them just a little differently and we're going to go through them very quickly. There's a lot I'm going to be feeling very quickly. And I would encourage you to go back. And look at these this week with a side in this mindset that it's about hearing and obeying. Remember there's no Hebrew ancient Hebrew word for obey its Shema when you hear it, the expectation is that you'll do it. Let's see what the way had to say. Hey that rhymes you have what? Heard the fine you started that way. You would have heard it said for those of all, this is Jesus Sermon on the Mount some of you might be familiar with this right shall not murder, murder will be liable for judgment, but I'll tell you.
normative angry Andre will be liable to the Judgment that's equal to murder. That's kind of crazy and whoever insults his brother gets worse than judgement.
And if you say to your friend you're an idiot. She might as well just get it ready to cast yourself in Into the Fire.
How can you imagine when he comes and he opens it this way you have heard and if he's speaking in Hebrew if you have Shema. And you believe that you've never murdered then you will think to yourself I've done okay, but I'm going to tell you you've been mad at someone even anger with them you've insulted them. Or you have called an image of God foolish you catch why that's important.
One who images the Creator you call foolish or stupid or idiotic you are insulting the image. Of the one you claim to serve. That's why that one carries so much you look at it and go all day. I know just don't say it.
You see because you're claiming that against an image.
He's got he's taken a different meaning now. You've heard it said and after this Jesus gives this example of a person offering a gift at the altar right? They brought their gift to the altar of God. He says hey, if you remember you've done something to offend a brother you need to like just believe your gift go straighten that out right away and is image on that is before you pray before you sing a song before you I'm worshipping God if you have a problem in a relationship solve it. It's more important. To break the Discord and bring unity in the relationships and it is to leave your sacrifice.
Agus back to Cain and Abel in Genesis. That kind of image here is another one you probably seen this one you would have heard. There it is again, you have heard that it was said You shall not commit adultery, easy topic to bring up in church, right, but I say to you and everyone who looks at a woman with lust full intent f****** the guys there has already committed it with her in his heart and Jesus goes on to talk about some really disturbing stuff after this like really disturbing if your eye causes you to sin just pop it out. If your hand causes then just chop it off if your feet just cut those off to it's better to be you can't see can your hands get funny eyes and feet to get rid of all those Revive your whole body and soul cast away forever. And he uses that imagery to get our attention. He's not advocating popping eyes on coming up here. It's not what he's trying to grab the attention. They say look what you take in with your eyes and how you cycling your mind. You've heard that it's about actually going through with the ACT, but I'm telling you you're more messed up than that. and it matters it matters to God. It's tied to the Imaging of God. An initially happens right after this he talks about divorce, but he doesn't use this term you have heard that it was said he is as term it has been said and its interests. You have a curiosity about why I'm not going to include that one of these five come and find me afterwards. I'll give you my theory on it why he changes up the terminology? on divorce divorce was never commandment. never was Again, you have heard that it was said of those of old. You should not swear falsely will perform to the Lord what you have sworn but I say to you do not take a note at all either by Heaven Ritz the Throne of God or by your work cuz that's where is footrest. Right? Well by Jerusalem, it's the city of the great king me and do not take an oath by your head. Right can't change color your hair. Although you can today. What would you say Simply Be yes or no anything more than this comes from Evil and you read this in your like that we don't the swearing you think you really do much of that these days right? We signed contracts if you bought a phone you swore an oath. You signed a contract with Verizon or AT&T. You signed an oath. Here's what I agree to do. Okay by the power of my bank account. And you can come after me financially. If I don't do it. It's laying those things on the table. If it's raining open the ancient culture even still in Middle Eastern cultures today big deal. big big deal I ain't Jesus is bringing this one up for one really specific reason. I think there's others here. But I think it goes back to an event that happened all the way back in judges. This guy named Jeff path, but I don't know if you remember him when he's out and he's having success and he's praising God and he makes this this valve is Covenant this oath to God that says you have given me such Victory today and I'm in such awe of your ability to do that. Then when I get home, I will sacrifice the first thing that comes out of my home to you as a burnt offering on the Altar and is he walks home? His only daughter child is the first thing that came out of the door. He's made an oath to God that he will do this. They take them so seriously that he goes through with it. And I think Jesus comes along and says don't do that. It's an evil Act. Don't swear to God. You see that's why this commandment of you know of image in God we use it as swearing like don't say bad words. That simply says don't put me in your contract.
Don't do that. Because when you don't fulfill the oh you make me look like I'm not faithful. I'll do that. Son got really quiet that's in here, didn't it? Be careful what you promise to do. It's disturbing. Spider walking with Yahweh that Exodus when all the people stand before God and God we're going to follow them and then they don't. I can't keep their up. All right, let's hope you heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you do not resist the one who is evil another word of someone being able to you. Don't buy them. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, give him the other one and if anyone would sue you to take your tunic, you know your underwear.
And if anyone forces you to go a mile go to Without a Smile give me the one who begs from you and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Her dad said to her this I reference this all the time. Give him the other cheek pray for your enemies. Love free. Love your enemies those who are evil to you. That's easy, right? Is changing this up to say look I never wanted the eye for the eye and a tooth for the tooth. I didn't establish a law for you people because you're living in a culture and a time that is really messed up. I'm trying to connect change this up a little bit. I don't want that. I want you to see yourself as an image. That would do what I would do. What is a Jesus? Did he sacrificed himself the Daffy? and as an image He's looking for us to do the same. To be willing to make sacrifices.
How perfect and good. Were you when Jesus sacrificed himself for you? How are you doing?
Well, you never know where that person is going to be when you have offer them. Your tunic order walk or money, whatever it may be.
It's this moment of retaliation that that evil plans in the heart to retaliate if people we've talked about that for three weeks. Don't let that evil rage in your heart last one. You've heard that it was said, there it is again, you've heard these five you've heard that it was said there's five of them. You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you as part of the Shema prayer wasn't it? But of God.
So you may be Sons or children of your father who is in heaven free makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust and I think that Jesus is thinking back to this moment kind of a fascinating little story where these these people called the moabites. They as is Israel's kind of moving towards and into the land is mobites rise up against them to bring war against them. I forgot I told them not to and guy comes in and says look, you just got I'd eliminate him but more than that. Don't marry him. Because no mobile will ever inherit the land will ever inherit my blessing. I know this is kind of strange right but then have you ever heard of this little book called roof. in scripture Ruth is a moabite and it turns out she enters the genealogy of Jesus. And it becomes this picture where God is going to come in and redeem the enemies of Israel in his plan through Christ. And so he says look you've heard it said love your neighbor, but hate your enemy, but I'm telling you got to change that up because we're bringing all nations into the kingdom. And guess what that include some of your enemies.
It's this aspect of forgiveness to not sow Discord between people. I won't ask again have you heard? Have you Shema?
It's a really important part of the Story from beginning to now. And you and I have an opportunity. The no one in the Old Testament ever could have conceived of in that we have God who lives in and with us at all times through the spirit that we have access anytime. We want to go before the Throne of God and make a request known and listen. Can you imagine this is not something they could even conceive of you had to go to the temple you had to go to the Tabernacle. That's where God was And you and I have this opportunity as Christians to engage with God on this level. And so I'll ask again. Have you heard what it is that he's been saying to you? It becomes a really important part of our walk. It becomes a really important part of following. And I'm convinced that there's a lot of people who just don't hear they don't show Ma. I watch what they say on video. I hear what they say on podcast and I read what they write about other people. And I'm thinking to myself that the words that they're speaking out of their mouth, which will talk about next week. Get ready.
Are not the words that they have heard. From their heavenly father because God would not put these words in the mouths of people to say about other Christians or about other humans. And so it makes me wonder how much are we listening? Our world needs especially today people who are willing to listen the Shema. And then from there let our feet take us towards that. Open our hands to the mercy of the grace that he's asked us to open them to and begin to see the world with a compassion forgiveness and mercy. Then we've been directed to but all of that begins with hearing. all of that starts with listening and then doing have you heard let's pray. Heavenly Father want to thank you for our time together this morning. I want to ask that you would all give us ears that hear what it is and you give us the desire to follow through with what it is that you've asked us to do. And father for some who may be kind of wrestling with what does that look like?
Perhaps you can take them back through the words of Jesus and let them begin to really settle in with what those mean for us. Are there our world is in desperate need of people who see with your eyes and who are willing to be your hands and your feet. And to begin that we start with hearing you and listening to you. So father, please give us the courage to do those things.
Are there I want to thank you for people who do show their generosity through. Are tree in the back and the giving of gifts to others in the support the things that each do that aren't even seen or known or understood father. Would you bless them and And bring them that piece in that satisfaction that comes through doing something out of the kindness of your heart.
Other were so grateful. We have an opportunity to share. We love you. We thank you in Jesus name. Amen.